CORNWALL ONTARIO – Hydro will be THE election issue in Ontario. With Premier Wynne fighting for her political life she’s blinked first and reacted to the NDP’s strong first blow.
The day after leader Andrea Horwath outlined plans to even out the playing field hydro wise, Ms Wynne announced sweeping hydro cuts which reek of electioneering and desperation.
With polls suggesting that the Liberals under Wynne will be demolished in the upcoming election Horwath took the first shot with her plan. She countered the Wynne government’s rushed response with a press release today stating that the Wynne cuts would cost $40 BILLION dollars in interest payments alone by spreading out payments for over priced hydro purchases in renewed energy.
Bankers win, families pay with Wynne’s $40B borrowing scheme
LONDON – NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says bankers will definitely win with Premier Kathleen Wynne’s new $40 billion borrowing scheme — but Ontario families will pay the price.
Wynne announced Thursday she’ll pay about $40 billion in interest costs over the next 30 years in order to finance a hydro bill subsidy. The slapdash plan fails to fix the root causes of high hydro bills.
“The cost of electricity has gone up 50 per cent just since Premier Wynne took office, and she has no plan to stop the actual price of power from rising,” said Horwath. “She’s spending $40 billion to buy some pre-election political relief for herself and her party – and failing to fix the system. We’re all going to pay for that, one way or another.”
Horwath and the NDP announced an extensive plan Monday that will save all Ontario households up to 30 per cent on their hydro bills. It includes immediate measures like eliminating time-of-use premiums and unfair, higher delivery charges, and repairs the broken hydro system permanently – including a return of Hydro One to public hands.
“Premier Wynne’s scheme doesn’t address the mess the former Conservative government and Premier Wynne made of our hydro system,” said Horwath. “She’s still planning to continue the disastrous sell-off of Hydro one. She’s still planning to charge time-of-use premiums that punish parents for cooking dinner at dinner time and seniors for staying home during the day.
“We need a solution for the broken system – not just a $40 billion band aid for Premier Wynne’s political problems.”
Patrick Brown is still in the closet and refusing to outline what his party would do regarding hydro in the province even though he’s busy dancing across the province, and making videos railing about the issue.
Hydro has devastated rural Ontario with entire communities feeling the pinch and seeing empty houses and businesses as well as dropping property values and weaker economies.
It’s an issue that impacts almost every facet of life in the province.
Two major questions is if the province can afford to even cut the rates of hydro with deficits rising under the Liberal government.
Prior to the last election Dalton McGuinty fell on his sword which led to Wynne’s surprising majority victory thanks to former Conservative leader Tim Hudak’s bizarre promise to cut thousands of civil servant positions during the election.
Brown has been adept at pointing out problems and whipping up fervour without actually offering solutions. He also faces mutiny from within his own party as many “Angry old white men & their spouses” grumble about him not living up to their strange values like racism and newspaper burning BBQ parties.
Loading ...With jobs eroding, inflation from higher government inflicted costs, and weakening of healthcare services many non partisan voters in Ontario, such as this writer, are frustrated who to even vote for?
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Wynne has to step down to save the party. But she likely won’t.
Self-assuredness and smarts, without the wisdom to know how to use them… is the finish of Kathleen O’Day Wynne.